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The Tolvan Uprising
The Tolvan Uprising was not the first rebellion in Wolf's Crossing's long history, but it is almost certainly the most remembered, due in large part to its climax, which resulted in the massacre of nearly the entire Tolvan line. Stone Hearth was a grim place after the loss of its lord and while Edric Blackmorn was temporarily seated as Regent, rumors of his treachery began to circulate among the people. In truth, Edric had always desired Lord Madarin's widow for himself, having watched her blossom into a woman while he was fostered at Thornewood Keep. It was said that she'd taken him into her bed not even a week after her husband's remains were buried and the people began to wonder if they had been lovers all along. Edric was a prudent man and when he saw that Stone Hearth was no longer safe for its people, he ordered its smallfolk evacuated and journeyed to Stormwind with Lady Lyra and a handful of her Knights in the hope of finding its King sympathetic to their cause. Not long after their arrival, Lyra's honor was called into question when Aeric Serwynn, eldest son of Madarin's Captain of the guard accused her of carrying not the children of her husband, but the product of her adultery with Edric himself. A formidable man in his prime, Edric challenged Serwynn to a duel to the death for his slander and in spite of the wound he received by the younger man, slew Serwynn on the steps of Stormwind Keep. It was later discovered that Serwynn had poisoned his blade and several healers believed that Edric would die in a matter of days. To save his life, Edric was taken to Dragon's Landing, where a kaldorei druid in Lady Holfmann's service would tend to the poisoned wound. Lady Lyra had fled Stormwind before the duel had concluded, which only added to what was already a dire situation. The Siege Of Stone Hearth Edwin Tolvan had always despised the youngest of Vincent Blackmorn's sons and to make matters worse, Lord Edwin had proof that Edric Blackmorn intented to claim Stone Hearth and Madarin's widow for himself. News of the duel in Stormwind and false reports of Edric's death reached the Anvil and with Lord Madarin's widow having abandoned her people, Lord Edwin seized the opportunity. After assembling a host, he and his eldest son rode Southwest with the intent of securing Stone Hearth. With only a small garrison left behind and a party of free riders under the command of Aubrye Holfmann, Stone Hearth surrendered to the Tolvan host and many of Holfmann's free riders were put to the sword when they refused to honor the terms of their surrender. Lady Aubrye Holfmann was severely wounded, but her life was spared by Victor Tolvan who believed her Aunt would ransom her at any price. The Siege Of Rosegarde ]] Lord Edwin Tolvan had always despised the youngest of Vincent Blackmorn's sons and to make matters worse, he had proof that Edric Blackmorn intented to claim Stone Hearth and Lord Madarin's widow for himself. False reports of Edric's death reached Osric's Anvil and with Lord Madarin's widow having abandoned her people, Edwin seized the opportunity. After assembling a host, he and his eldest son rode Southwest with the intent of securing Stone Hearth. With only a small garrison left behind and a party of free riders under the command of Aubrye Holfmann, Stone Hearth surrendered to the Tolvan host and many of Holfmann's free riders were put to the sword when they refused to honor the terms of their surrender. With all that remained of Stone Hearth's might in his control and the lord of Rosegarde dead, Tolvan did not stop once he had claimed his prize. Instead, he marched them to the Tower of Rosegarde, where two of Jon Blackmorn's heirs were present. Believing the Blackmorns would surrender once he'd taken Princess Lorrain and Prince Michael prisoner, Tolvan intended to see his former rulers driven to their knees. Prince Michael had been wounded during the siege and after Rosegarde surrendered, he was taken to the infirmary where Lord Tolvan promised to spare his life. His plans went awry when Lorrain unleashed the wolves from their kennels, allowing her to escape. Prince Michael had been wounded during the siege and after Rosegarde surrendered, he was taken to the infirmary where Lord Tolvan promised to spare his life. His plans went awry when Lorrain unleashed the wolves from their kennels, allowing her to escape. One of his men foolishly slew her Cousin James by firing a quarrel into his neck as the pair ran. It was also discovered that Edric Blackmorn survived the duel in Stormwind and had assembled a mighty host with the intent of destroying the house of Tolvan. Seeing no alternative and believing Edric to be beneath him in all ways, Lord Edwin sent his best assassins to dispatch him in his command tent. While the assassination had been a sucess, Tolvan's problems were only beginning. Already furious after his Uncle's murder, Darion Blackmorn had received false word of his brother's fate at Rosegarde and swore to destroy the house of Tolvan, root and stem. The Battle For Rosegarde With his father fighting the forsaken in Hillsbrad and his sister safe at Chillwind Point, Darion Blackmorn took it upon himself to lead the host his Uncle had assembled against Tolvan and his rebels. With Victoriea Holfmann at his side, Darion led his host in an assault on Rosegarde that would be remembered as one of the most brutal massacres in the region's history. Aided by Tytos Blackvale and fifty swords under his command, the Blackmorn host surrounded the Tower of Rosegarde and lay siege to it for three days until Tolvan's son defied him and opened the gates in surrender. Victor Tolvan had hoped his enemies would be merciful, but he was dead wrong. While Darion decided the fate of his enemies, Victoriea Holfman set out with house Madarin's Champion Melysa Ravenwood and her ally, Sir Barret Easton to deal with the remains of Tolvan's men at Stone Hearth and rescue her Niece. Easton was slain in battle during the rescue and Ravenwood was severely wounded. The Fall Of House Tolvan The year 621 K.C. very nearly marked the end of the Tolvan Bloodline. After retaking the tower of Rosegarde and installing Tytos Blackvale as Regent, Darion forced Edwin Tolvan to watch while his son and every man who fought beside him in his uprising was put to the sword, regardless of their pleas for mercy. Tolvan was then brought to his house's seat of Osric's Anvil and bound to a tree in its square while one by one, the rest of his bloodline was executed before him. He was then drawn and quartered while his smallfolk watched and it is said that Lorrain Blackmorn herself gripped the knife that disemboweled him. To this day, Tolvan's skull still adorns the battlements as a grim reminder to any who would rise up against the Blackmorns. Though house Tolvan was a threat and needed to be crushed, Darion regarded it as his darkest hour and his greatest failure as a paladin to adhere to the Light's virtues. The Aftermath Less than a dozen of Edwin Tolvan's loyalists managed to escape Darion Blackmorn's wrath, his youngest daughter among them. Osric's Anvil and all its attended lands were given to Alec Blackmorn and the Tolvan survivors went underground--literally... Despite holding Michael Blackmorn prisoner, Lara Tolvan was not such a fool as to think even for a moment that her life would be spared if she were to negotiate the Knight's release and so instead, she allowed everyone to continue believing he had been slain during the siege of Rosegarde. Using the elaborate system of tunnels and caves once employed by the Bartells during the rise of the scourge in Lordaeron, Lara and her father's remaining men managed to elude the Blackmorns for more than a year. Having learned that the village of Pinewood and its small militia remained loyal to her house, Lara would reside there for several months while she plotted a way to use her prisoner to her advantage. Despite all of her planning, the civil war of 623 would mark the end of the Blackmorns control of the region. Forced to hand over Jon Blackmorn's only living, legitimate male heir after Caterinia Soren-Whitehall had Darion Blackmorn executed, Lara was granted control of her late father's land and promised a substantial sum of gold from the Blackmorn treasury as restitution for the brutal massacre of her entire bloodline. At nineteen years old, she became both the youngest, and only female to ever rule Osric's Anvil as its Countess. Despite the agreement she made in handing over Michael Blackmorn, Lara has sworn no oath of fealty to the self-styled Grand Duchess, believing her to be no better than the man she ordered executed. Her first act as Countess was to see her father's remains properly buried and the commissioning of a monument in his honor. Category:Battles Category:Wolf's Crossing Category:House of Blackmorn Category:House of Blackvale